The All New Square Foot Gardening Book, by Mel Bartholomew

An ideal resource for planning raised bed gardens

Grow more fresh produce in less space

Save on weeding and watering

The original edition of Square Foot Gardening was the most popular gardening book in America ever, with more than one million copies sold! In this timely sequel to his original book, Mel reveals ten major improvements to the SFG system that make it even easier to get an abundant harvest of fresh and delicious, home-grown veggies. You’ll discover how planting your garden in one-square-foot blocks saves space, saves weeding, saves water and saves time. Saves on grocery bills, too! Best of all? The SFG system really works! Whether you’re a first time gardener or a seasoned expert, you’ll be amazed
by the quantity and quality of food you can produce in your own square foot garden.

As a child I gardened the way my mom told me to. We had a 50' x 50' garden. I had to wait for my Dad to till (as I did not have the strength). Then I would plant in rows, spend half my summer weeding and watering the garden. My parents would complain about the water bill, and I would complain about weeding. By the time produce started coming, I was so exhausted, I never even enjoyed the produce. Now I have my own place, but not much room for a garden. In college I found this old book called Square Foot Gardening. I was excited to try it. About 5 years ago, we built a raised bed. It is about 4x16'. Gardening has become so EASY! In the spring I spend about an hour turning and amending the soil. (Yes, an hour as it is so easy to turn.) Then I spend a couple minutes a day once weeds start growing scraping the ground with a hoe until the plants starts growing. Once they are growing good, the cover the area and the weeds stop growing. I only need to pull the occasional weed. Other than the initial amendments in the spring, I never fertilize anymore. I do not need to! I only water, and since it is such a small area and the water goes right to the plants, I do not need to water much. Talk about less expensive!! Then comes the fun part. PRODUCE!! You would not believe the amount of produce you can get in such a small area. Lettuce in the spring and fall, Enough tomatoes for my family, my parents, my husbands parents, 3 of my neighbors, and I still have to take some to work to get rid of. This is out of 8 tomato plants! I usually plant 16-20 peppers, at least 4 basil plants, some marigolds to help prevent nematodes, some carrots, beans and cucumbers. I do the rest of my herbs in another 3x3 garden box on my deck and I have enough herbs to share with all of the above people as well! Just a hint, to get this many tomatoes from 8 plants, make sure you put about a Tablespoon of bone meal with a 1/2-1 tsp soil moist and some osmocote in the bottom of each hole for each tomato plant. Do not let the mixture touch the roots though. Mix it with some dirt at the bottom. This will prevent blossom end rot, and increase production of the tomatoes. I bought the new square foot gardening book and found the info in it even more informative than that in the first edition. This book is not a sequel! It will tell you everything you need to know. Please try this method!! It is SO much easier than the traditional method, you get just as much produce in a MUCH smaller space, it is much cheaper, and it is MUCH better for the earth as you use MUCH less water, and no fertilizer other than the osmocote for your tomatoes at the begining of the season. Have you noticed the use of the word MUCH!!! Try this method this summer and you will enjoy gardening MUCH more than you ever have.

I bought this too late to really impact my garden this year, but see lots of great ideas for next year. The most important thing is how much more we could fit into our new raised beds. I look forward to planting a much more efficient and productive garden!

Practical gardening is laid out in an easy to follow and innovative method.

This is an easy read. Beginners like my own family found the instruction of this book very helpful. A 12-year-old shopped for and with minimal help built two square-foot-gardens and started planting this year using this book. The book guides your garden plans very well.

I am a novice gardener. I live in the city and for the first time will be able to plant in a community garden plot (80 sf). I have a family of 4 and was so excited to read this book and learn how even small plots can be so productive!! The book provides instruction for everything you need from start to finish--basic construction, soil, basic layout and planting advice!! It's no nonsense garden common sense and an invaluable resource!!

I had used the first book this man published and was happy with it but couldn't put my hands on it again. Then I saw that you carried his new book. It is fantastic!!! Much simpler than the old sqare foot gardening. I am looking forward to enjoying all the gardening I do from now on as the "chore" part is eliminated. Love, love, love this book. So easy to read and follow instructions. A real winner. I won't let this one get out of my sight.

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